Orengo gets direct nomination for Siaya governor race

Siaya Senator James Orengo.

Siaya Governor James Orengo.

Photo credit: Tonny Omondi | Nation Media Group

Senator James Orengo has bagged the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket to contest for the Siaya governor seat in the August 9 General Election.

Mr Orengo is expected to face former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo and former police spokesman Charles Owino, who joined Governor Ali Roba’s United Democratic Movement (UDM) as governor and running mates, respectively.

The ODM party announced that it will hold election primaries in Siaya County on April 13 for parliamentary seats, county assembly members and woman rep.

The move has sparked protests in the party with aspirants crying foul.

George Mugoye, a gubernatorial aspirant, claimed he had already paid the fees to contest in the primaries.

"Why did they allow us to pay nomination fees and campaign throughout Siaya when they knew they would give the ticket to one of us? This is totally unfair," said Mr Mugoye in an interview.

He added. "The ODM party needs to be democratic just like its name suggests.  We were told that the party conducted an opinion poll and settled on the nominees. Where and when did they do that?”

Mr Orengo joins Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay) and Paul Otuoma (Busia) as some of the ODM aspirants in Nyanza and Western.